Getting Ready for Father + Son Camp

The Basics

Schedule

You’ll need to arrive (as a group) on Friday between 4:00pm and 6:30pm.
We’ll shoot for departure by around 1:00pm on Sunday. If absolutely necessary, participants who cannot come on Friday may show up between 7:30 and 8:30AM on Saturday...Please have someone (please just a person as the checkin can get confusing) from your campsite walk up to the parking area to meet them…otherwise, they won’t know where you are camping. If you’re in, you’re in for the whole thing. No late arrivals, early departures, or coming and going from Base Camp.

Work with your group to carpool from a central location out to Neville Ohio. Trip Captains will have the address.

In Case of Emergency

Communications

Generally, we’re off the grid during FATHER SON CAMP.
We’ll be turning off and leaving our cell phones behind before we head out to the campsite. Another option is to leave it locked in your car before hiking in.

  • If there’s an emergency at home:
    Before FATHER SON CAMP, Trip Captains will relay a phone number for family to call in the event of an emergency.

  • If there’s an emergency at FATHER SON CAMP:
    We’ll have a medical response team onsite, and a way to get you from the campsite to a hospital.

What’s the deal with Father Son Camp, anyway?

We’re all in this together.
FATHER SON CAMP isn’t a “sit and get” retreat. It’s an adventure that we’re all going to share. It’s going to be great!

We’re intentionally not giving you all of the answers to every possible question.
You’re all smart, capable people who’ll be surrounded by others just like you. We’re just going camping for two nights. You’ve got this! Nothing worth doing is easy. That little uneasy feeling you’ve got? The “oh man, can I do this?”. That’s you being stretched. That’s growth happening…. right now. That’s good stuff.

FATHER SON CAMP isn’t for everyone.
We’ll always choose the path less traveled. We’ll err on the side of challenge. If someone asks you if we’ll make special arrangements or exceptions for them, the answer is almost certainly a loving “No.” Unless, of course, you have a health related reason… and then it will be, ‘how can we help?’

Plan to meet with your campsite.
This is your chance to have everyone together, in whatever space you want. No worries if some folks aren't available or are out of town. Just do your best.

Carpool and Check-in.
Parking is limited, carpool. Ideal two cars per campsite. Trip Captains will check in the entire campsite. The goal is to check in and walk in together.

Everyone will attempt the hike with their gear.
That is critical. Everyone attempts it and everyone makes it. If you need a cart to carry gear, great. Bring a cart. (We won’t be supplying carts.) We do have a ‘cooler drop off,’ trailer (only coolers!), but it would be amazing if that trailer was empty.

This is your event.
You’ll need to collaborate to pull together all of your gear and provisions and each Trip Captain should unsure the campsite group’s success. We’ll provide a super simple lunch of brats and mets on Saturday, but your campsite will need to handle all the other grub and gear you’ll need. If you have any sort of dietary restrictions or special needs, make sure you take extra precautions. Lunch won’t have any special options. We supply water.

What exactly is this...church camp?
We’re going to clear some space for God, embrace challenge, and disconnect from the everyday. Father Son Camp will be 70% camping, 20% open space, and 10% content/teaching and worship. We expect God to show up in incredible ways. We are not statisticians, so don’t hold us to that distribution.

Camping is primitive.
There won’t be a shower house or electrical hookups. We’re all in tents. God was all about tents! How many shower houses can you find in the bible? Paul was a tentmaker, not an electrician!

What to Pack

Everything you pack needs to fit into one duffel bag and one backpack.
You’ll be hiking all your gear over a mile, so pack lightly.

CLOTHES.
Two main ideas: keep yourself dry, and dress in layers. Extra socks, a jacket for night, a rain layer, etc. You’ll also want sturdy boots, or something rugged enough to handle hiking in the woods all day.

TOILETRIES.
You pretty much just need Wet Wipes (for cleaning up without water) and a small towel (like a shammy, just in case). A toothbrush and toothpaste is sort of optional. Don’t bother with a razor.

FOOD.
We’ll supply lunch on Saturday, as well as Soda/water. Beyond that, you’ll need to bring your own—food for dinner Friday, breakfast and dinner Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. Lunch on Sunday is up to you (we expect all campers to off property by 1pm). Bring food that can be stored without refrigeration, and that doesn’t need a whole lot of prep time (unless you’re a campfire gourmet). Clif Bars, jerky, cheese and crackers are all great options.

  • Make sure you get ahold of all of this stuff:

    • A headlamp (a cheap one from Home Depot is fine)

    • A folding camp chair for the campfire (a crappy tailgate chair is fine; fit it on top of your duffel bag, slipped between the handles)

    • A sleeping bag (a basic one will work; it’s only 2 nights)

    • A pad to go under your sleeping bag (if you don’t have one, Google “camp thermal break DIY” to find cheap ways to do this)

    • A plate (for lunch) and bowl for other meals at your campsite

    • A cup for coffee/soda/water/beer/wine

    • A spork or other utensil

    • Earplugs (optional)

  • Make sure you’re covered with all these between everybody in your campsite:

    • Tents

    • Lighter or waterproof matches

    • Trash bags (the big contractor sized bags)

    • A tarp (or two), along with bungees and/or rope, for building a lean-to for your group in case it rains

  • Bring this if you have it, and if you have room.

    • Sunglasses

    • Pain reliever

    • Allergy meds

    • Sunscreen

    • Instant coffee

    • Dehydrated food

    • Jetboil or similar cooking system

    • Multi-tool

First time camping? Here’s some tips and camp hacks.